Rosso. Italy’s racing red, the hue that stirs something primal in the hearts of petrolheads and purists alike. Every single one of the 1,311 Ferrari F40s produced were finished in the shade, that is, apart from a reported seven cars that were modified and delivered to the Sultan of Brunei in right-hand drive and painted grey. The Sultan may have started the trend, but in more recent years Instagram has been awash with customised versions of the iconic poster car. Eugenio Amos famously repainted his F40 in Verde Abetone over Tan, while the cars known as ‘F40 Blu’ and ‘Minty Forty’ became stars of their own. But now there’s a new, freshly painted and customized F40 in pale blue paint heading to the auction block, and its estimate is higher than that of an original, Rosso Corsa shaded example. Will it actually surpass the factory-fresh example? We’ll be eagerly watching these two as they head to RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale on August 16!

So, what exactly are we comparing here? The Azzurro Hyperion example hasn’t just been treated to a fresh shade draped over its Pininfarina body, but instead is an entirely modified F40 designed to get the absolute maximum from what is already an enthralling driver’s car. The car started life in July of 1992, leaving Maranello naturally in Rosso Corsa over Stoffa Vigogna to flamboyant Bolognese nightlife promoter Paolo Pazzaglia, who enjoyed the car for over 5,000 spirited kilometres, before parting with it in 1993. The car would then move to the UK in 1998, and eventually found its way to an owner with a bold vision in mind. 

Entrusted to UK-based supercar dealer and restorers Furlonger Specialist Cars, who managed to source and fit a rare Michelotto-developed F40 LM racing gearbox, paired with enhanced turbo wastegates and a Tubi exhaust system to unleash the model’s legendary soundtrack. Not satisfied with those mechanical enhancements, the owner had his F40 treated to KW fully adjustable suspension, complete with a handy lift kit as well as improved air conditioning. Eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted the wheels and brake setup, which are almost identical to the original, but now sits on mighty 355-millimetre Brembo GT brakes sat behind the car’s centrepiece, upgraded 18-inch custom wheels that maintained the instantly recognizable five-spoke, centre-lock look, preserving the F40's iconic appearance while ensuring adequate clearance for the improved brakes and tires. To complete the transformation, the owner opted to respray the F40 in Azzurro Hyperion, a timeless, understated Ferrari hue that perfectly accentuates the sharp lines of this 1980s icon. Following the nicknames of its other customised siblings, this example is proudly named “Blue Chip F40” and represents a unique reinterpretation of Ferrari’s most visceral icon, blending raw performance with modern usability and unmistakable presence. As a result, this example, complete with its Ferrari Classiche Certified with its Red Book and reading over 30,000 kilometres since rolling out of Maranello in 1992 has a staggering estimate of between 2.5 to 2.8 million dollars - some 200,000 dollars more than the maximum estimate of this completely original F40.

If purism and originality is your thing, this is the Ferrari F40 worth submitting a bid on. While many examples were being revved to their limits in 1990, this example would arrive with its original owner in Southeast Asia, who left it in static storage for 35 years. Under his care, it was kept out of public view and was never driven or even serviced. The car has remained unseen and completely off the radar its entire life, until now. 

Showing a staggering 360 kilometres from new, this Rosso Corsa example was specified as a European-market variant, complete with instruments in kilometres and, importantly in the realm of collectorship, built without catalytic converters and adjustable suspension, making it one of the prized “non-cat, non-adjust” chassis. With such low mileage, naturally this Ferrari showcases a wonderful insight into the way in which the cars were distributed to their lucky new owners, still showing factory markings and body numbers, including original blue stickers on the wheels that confirmed the wheel nuts were torqued on the assembly line, as well as original 1989 date-coded tires, and original witness markings on all fittings. As a result of this originality, the F40 would greatly benefit from a full restoration to be brought back to show-ready condition, with only a gentle clean ready to be photographed, no attempt has even been made to start the car since its emergence.

This leads to an interesting debate – which one is more sacrilegious? Is customising Enzo Ferrari’s final hurrah - a car that wasn’t a farewell, but one final roar from Il Commendatore declaring what Ferrari would remain in a world growing increasingly soft and soulless - worse than rolling it out of the factory and not even driving it around the block? That answer is down to your personal opinions, but both Ferrari F40s are showstoppers in their own ways: The Azzurro Hyperion car laughs in the face of originality and symbolises pure, individualistic driving joy, while the Rosso Corsa car would undoubtably cause the same stir displayed among the manicured lawns of a Conours d’Elegance!